Brooks' RodeoHouston victory lap began long before he took the rotating stage. He met with the press Tuesday afternoon, where he said he'd be open to collaborating with Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga. And he was onstage Monday night at NRG Stadium for Inside Studio G, his popular Facebook series. He took fans on a tour of the new stage and was joined by a trio of astronauts during the 24-minute broadcast.

He promised "a lot less talking and a lot more country music" because of Tuesday night's time constraints. That meant a constant stream of energy between Brooks and the raucous crowd, which totaled 75,018 paid attendance.

Brooks kicked off, of course, with "Rodeo" as the first act to play the new RodeoHouston stage. It's the first upgrade in 31 years. The new stage is 126 feet wide, tip to tip, and includes a 48-foot diameter rotating performance area. It also boasts five-star points, each extending to a length of 36 feet, which can be individually raised or lowered.

Brooks zipped through "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House" with a bracing energy that never faltered. He was accompanied by thousands of twinkling cell phones during "The River." He inspired top-of-lung singalongs during "Papa Loved Mama," "Two Piña Coladas" and wistful highlight "That Summer."

That energy was complemented by grand emotional gestures. He jumped offstage during "The Thunder Rolls," and often yelped in excitement between songs. He admitted he was nervous before kicking into a rousing version of George Strait's "The Fireman."

He peered up to the ceiling at the end of "Callin' Baton Rouge," covered his eyes and seemed on the verge of tears. By the time he led the crowd through "Shameless," "Friends in Low Places" and "The Dance," much of the stadium was on its feet -- and likely could have gone all night.